Gas turbine engine shaft bearing configuration

Abstract

A gas turbine engine includes a core housing providing a core flowpath. A shaft supports a compressor section arranged within the core flowpath. First and second bearings support the shaft relative to the core housing and are arranged radially inward of and axially overlapping with the compressor section.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
 a core housing including an inlet case and an intermediate case that respectively provide an inlet case flow path and an intermediate case flow path; 
 a shaft supporting a compressor section that is arranged axially between the inlet case flow path and the intermediate case flow path, wherein the inlet case includes an inlet case portion defining the inlet case flow path, and a bearing support portion is secured to the inlet case portion; 
 a geared architecture coupled to the shaft, and a fan coupled to and rotationally driven by the geared architecture, wherein the geared architecture includes a torque frame supporting multiple circumferentially arranged star gears intermeshing with a sun gear, the torque frame secured to the inlet case and the bearing support portion; 
 a first bearing supporting the shaft relative to the intermediate case; and 
 a second bearing supporting the shaft relative to the inlet case, and the second bearing is mounted to the bearing support portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The gas turbine engine according to  claim 1 , wherein the second bearing is arranged radially between the torque frame and athe flex shaft. 
     
     
       3. The gas turbine engine according to  claim 1 , wherein the shaft includes a main shaft and a flex shaft having bellows, the flex shaft secured to the main shaft at a first end and including a second end opposite the first end, wherein the geared architecture includes a sun gear supported on the second end, and the second bearing is arranged radially outward from the flex shaft, wherein the shaft includes a hub secured to the main shaft, and the compressor section includes a rotor mounted to the hub, the hub supporting the second bearing. 
     
     
       4. The gas turbine engine according to  claim 3 , wherein the bearing support portion is removably secured to the inlet case portion, and the torque frame is secured to the inlet case portion and the bearing support portion at a joint. 
     
     
       5. A as turbine engine comprising:
 a core housing including an inlet case and an intermediate case that respectively provide an inlet case flow path and an intermediate case flow path; 
 a shaft supporting a compressor section that is arranged axially between the inlet case flow path and the intermediate case flow path, wherein the compressor section includes a variable stator vane array; 
 a first bearing supporting the shaft relative to the intermediate case; 
 a second bearing supporting the shaft relative to the inlet case, and the second bearing is axially aligned with and radially inward of the variable stator vane array; and 
 a geared architecture coupled to the shaft, and a fan coupled to and rotationally driven by the geared architecture, wherein the shaft includes a main shaft and a flex shaft having bellows, the flex shaft secured to the main shaft at a first end and including a second end opposite the first end, wherein the geared architecture includes a sun gear supported on the second end, and the second bearing is arranged radially outward from the flex shaft, wherein the shaft includes a hub secured to the main shaft, and the compressor section includes a rotor mounted to the hub, the hub supporting the second bearing. 
 
     
     
       6. The gas turbine engine according to  claim 5 , wherein the rotor supports multiple compressor stages, and the first bearing is axially aligned with and radially inward of one of the compressor stages.